


At Least For Tonight

by 90sgillovny



Category: Waterloo Road (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:08:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24858898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/90sgillovny/pseuds/90sgillovny
Summary: Rachel doesn’t really feel like being alone tonight, either.
Relationships: Eddie Lawson/Rachel Mason
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	At Least For Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> tw // panic attack

Eddie is making his way to Rachel’s office long after the bell had gone to ask if she wanted to join him for a drink after yet another classic Waterloo Road drama. He knocks the door but there’s no answer, he hesitates for a second but opens the door anyway, just incase. She’s not there. He hovers there for a minute wondering where she could be, he can see her car so she’s definitely still here somewhere. He decides to check the staff room but on his way there he sees that she’s sat on the stairs at the front of the school. 

“Rachel?” He says, but she doesn’t reply. As he gets closer he can see that her head is in her hands and she looks shaky.

“Rach? Are you okay?” He whispers now, stepping down to sit beside her, gently placing a hand on her lower back. She looks up at him, her hazel eyes wide and glistening with tears. She opens her mouth as if to speak but nothing comes out.

“Rach, you have to breathe. Look at me. Look...” He takes her hands and she immediately grips them, shaking her head frantically. Eddie himself begins to panic slightly as he tries to figure out how to calm his boss down. He guides her through taking deep breaths, but doesn’t let go of her hands. As they sit there for a few minutes, Rachel’s breaths begin to regulate and her focus is now largely on the feeling of embarrassment. 

“I’m so sorry, Eddie. It’s just it’s been such a day and-“ Her voice starts to crack again as she tries to explain herself.  
“You don’t have to apologise, Rachel. Honestly, I’m just glad I was here to help. I hate thinking of you going through that alone.” He tells her and she manages to muster a smile.  
“Thank you.” She whispers and rests her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. They stay that way, in silence for several minutes.  
“Hey, why don’t you come back to mine? I’ve got tea, or wine, or chocolate, or about 40 takeaway menu’s we could put to good use?” Eddie offers, Rachel looks at him for a second, slightly baffled that he hasn’t run a mile after her earlier performance. She nods her head.

“Uh, yeah. Yes. After this day, I could use a bit of a friendly face around.” She’s genuinely smiling now as they stand up and walk off to the car park, they decide to take Eddie’s car and leave Rachel’s at the school. Neither of them say anything about the fact that they had been holding hands the whole time, only parting when they had to get into the car.

...

When they get to Eddie’s house they eat, drink wine and talk about almost everything. They laugh over anecdotes of the other teachers at the school and Rachel only almost cries when she admits to Eddie that she’s been having panic attacks for a long time now.

“Honestly, Eddie, I am really sorry you had to see me like that. I usually at least make it to my car or my office before I become incoherent.”

“Rachel, I’ve told you, stop apologising. It’s not your fault, it’s not even a fault. It’s just something that we’ll have to work on. You’ll be okay, I promise.” Her heart melts a little when he says ‘we’. 

“Listen, stay here tonight. I’d feel better knowing you weren’t alone at least for tonight.” Eddie suggests, trying to act nonchalantly as he begins clearing up the food containers from the table.  
“Oh, I couldn’t, honestly. Anyway I don’t have any things with me and my car is at the school.” She refuses but almost immediately regrets it as really she doesn’t feel like being alone tonight either, she hopes he tries to convince her. 

“I’m sure I’ve got something you could sleep in, and I’ll obviously bring you to school tomorrow, it’s no trouble, honestly.” He’s already searching through a pile of clean washing before she can answer. 

“Okay fine, but I know next you’ll be offering me the bed while you sleep on the couch but that’s a no deal, I won’t chuck you out of your own bed. I’ll take the couch.” Eddie laughs gently and agrees. 

“Fine, it’s shit anyway, kills my back.” He jokes and hands her one of his t-shirts and a pair of joggers to wear to sleep, she accepts them, smiles and excuses herself to the bathroom to change. When she emerges a few minutes later wearing the oversized clothes and her hair pulled into a messy bun, Eddie’s breath catches for a second - he’d never seen her look so soft and comfy before.  
“Nightcap?” He says, handing her a cup of tea as they sit back on the couch. She thanks him and settles in cross legged and they talk and laugh more for what feels like days and they probably could’ve continued all night if Rachel hadn’t have let out a yawn. 

“Look at the time, bloody three in the morning! You must be exhausted after the day you’ve had.” Eddie says and Rachel nods, stretching lightly as she stands up to head to the bathroom before she sleeps.

Eddie does one last clean up of the kitchen and is ascending the stairs just as Rachel exits the bathroom and they somehow end up in a jam.

“Ah, sorry.” They both move in the same direction a few times before they give up and laugh at the awkward situation they’ve found themselves in. 

Their eyes lock for a minute until Eddie finally pulls her into a kiss. Rachel’s hands go to his hair and he can feel her smiling against his lips. When they pull away, Rachel rubs her lips with the tip of her forefinger to hide her obvious smile. 

“Well, goodnight Mr Lawson.” She says and starts off down the stairs.

“Night, Miss Mason.” He calls back, smiling as he watched her bound downstairs like a child and disappear into the living room.


End file.
